Working with Students

The following is meant as a general guide for faculty and staff working with students
with disabilities and provides information regarding arranging academic accommodations
and communicating effectively. Remember, the AEC staff is here to support you. Please
feel free to contact a AEC counselor with any questions or concerns you may have.

Communicating with Students with Disabilities

When students request an appointment to discuss any disability or accommodations related
issues, encourage students to meet with you during office hours. Meeting in a more
relaxed, one on one setting allows plenty of time to discuss matters in a private,
comfortable, reduced distraction environment.

Treat students with disabilities as you would other students, speaking directly to
the student in a normal tone and volume. Avoid making assumptions about a student’s
capabilities; students will make you aware if they require assistance or require a
different mode of communication. Refer to the U.S. Department of Labor's disability etiquette publicationor “Fast Facts for Faculty” for further information working with students with disabilities.

Under legal mandates and University policy governing confidentiality, faculty members
are committed to confidentiality regarding information disclosed to them personally,
on the test accommodation forms, or by other means of written or verbal communication.
Confidentiality protection also applies to information gained through contacts with
the AEC. Legally, students are not required to disclose the nature of their disability
or to submit copies of disability documentation to other University departments or
personnel after registering with the AEC.

Working with Students Using Testing Accommodations

For many students, well-executed accommodations mean the difference between success
and failure. The following tips will assist you in partnering with the AEC to provide
test accommodations on behalf of your students.

Accommodation forms must be signed by the professor at least five school days prior to the exam date. After signing a test accommodation form, the student is required to return the form to the AEC office.

Rescheduling an exam can only be done with the professor's approval. The professor
may contact the AEC by phone for a verbal approval, memo, or email.

Professors are welcome to accommodate students themselves if they are able to provide
the same prescribed accommodations as the AEC and the environment is conducive to
testing (i.e., private room, muted phone, no traffic or conversations) can provide.
If you are providing accommodations yourself, allow the student to see the testing
area or accommodations (i.e., hardware/software, accessible furniture) ahead of time
to determine whether they are effective.

When working with those students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, you will be provided
a copy of the Important Guidelines from the Interpreter/Captioner (PDF).

For further information regarding testing accommodations, see the test accommodation webpage.

Notetaking

If you are presented with a Notetaker Request Memorandum, please check the memo for
the method of securing a notetaker: 1) general announcement in-class, or 2) confidentially.

If confidentiality is the preferred method, AEC ask you speak directly with a fellow
classmate to request assistance as a notetaker. When speaking with the potential
notetaker it is important to be aware of your surroundings to maintain confidentiality;
only state the requesting student’s name when the fellow classmate agrees to be a
notetaker.

If the preferred method is a general announcement in-class the AEC has provided you
with language to assist in making the announcement; you will find this language in
the Notetaker Request memo:

"A student in this class is in need of a notetaker. If you take clear, legible notes
and are interested in being a notetaker, come up after class to meet the student.
Notetakers are eligible for priority registration for the following semester.

AEC ask that you make an announcement to your classes during the first, second and
third class meetings once the student presents you with the Notetaker Request Memo.
If a fellow student does not volunteer after the second/third request contact AEC
immediately for assistance. Volunteers should meet with the registered AEC student
to receive priority registration information and make arrangements to exchange notes.

Classroom Concerns

If you are presented with a Notetaker Request Memorandum, please make an announcement
to your classes during the first, second and third class meetings announcing the need
for a student notetaker for students with disabilities. Volunteers should meet with
the registered AEC student to receive priority registration information and make arrangements
to exchange notes. The memo contains the following announcement:

"A student in this class is in need of a notetaker. If you take clear, legible notes
and are interested in being a notetaker, come up after class to meet the student.
Notetakers are eligible for priority registration for the following semester. A student
taking notes on a laptop is prefered."

Referring Students to the AEC

Contrary to disability legislation governing secondary schools, disability laws at
the postsecondary level forbid university faculty and staff from asking a student
whether he or she has a disability. Therefore, should you suspect that a student
may be struggling in your class due to a learning disability or could otherwise benefit
from AEC services, present your concerns to the student using the following 5-step
method:

State what you have observed in the student’s academic performance or classroom behavior:
“I have noticed that essays seem difficult for you. Perhaps there is some difficulty
expressing yourself in writing.”

Express a strength you have noticed: “I can tell that this class is important to you because you have good attendance and
participation.”

State your motivation and concerns: "I’m concerned that your knowledge of the course materials is not being demonstrated
in your written work and exams. Your success is important to me.”

Share a personal anecdote with the student: “I had an Economics course in college that was really difficult; I ended up having
to retake the course to pass it.”

Invite the student to visit Admin 110 (AEC) to meet with someone: “There is an office on campus that performs various educational tests to identify
areas of learning strength and weakness and provides academic services and accommodations
for students who are eligible.”